Waiting on Wednesday - Another mega Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine,  that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating or books that are in our TBR pile.  This week’s “can’t-wait-to-read” selection is

Summary (by Goodreads)

Rigg has the power to change the past. But nothing can prepare him for the future...

The adventure, suspense, and time travel continue in this second installment in the critically acclaimed New York Times and Publishers Weekly bestselling Pathfinder series.

Summary (by Goodreads)

Gwen’s life has been a rollercoaster since she discovered she was the Ruby, the final member of the secret time-traveling Circle of Twelve. In between searching through history for the other time-travelers and asking for a bit of their blood (gross!), she’s been trying to figure out what all the mysteries and prophecies surrounding the Circle really mean.

At least Gwen has plenty of help. Her best friend Lesley follows every lead diligently on the Internet. James the ghost teaches Gwen how to fit in at an eighteenth century party. And Xemerius, the gargoyle demon who has been following Gwen since he caught her kissing Gideon in a church, offers advice on everything. Oh, yes. And of course there is Gideon, the Diamond. One minute he’s very warm indeed; the next he’s freezing cold. Gwen’s not sure what’s going on there, but she’s pretty much destined to find out.

Summary (by Goodreads)

Nothing is certain and no one is safe in the second book in the highly praised Dust Lands trilogy, which MTV’s Hollywood Crush blog called “better than The Hunger Games.”

It seemed so simple: Defeat the Tonton, rescue her kidnapped brother, Lugh, and then order would be restored to Saba’s world. Simplicity, however, has proved to be elusive. Now, Saba and her family travel west, headed for a better life and a longed-for reunion with Jack. But the fight for Lugh’s freedom has unleashed a new power in the dust lands, and a formidable new enemy is on the rise.

What is the truth about Jack? And how far will Saba go to get what she wants? In this much-anticipated follow-up to the riveting Blood Red Road, a fierce heroine finds herself at the crossroads of danger and destiny, betrayal and passion.

Summary (by Goodreads)

How far would you go for love, beauty, and jealousy?

When Nicole Castro, the most beautiful girl in her wealthy New Jersey high school, is splashed with acid on the left side of her perfect face, the whole world takes notice. But quiet loner Jay Nazarro does more than that--he decides to find out who did it. Jay understands how it feels to be treated like a freak, and he also has a secret: He's a brilliant hacker. But the deeper he digs, the more danger he's in--and the more he falls for Nicole. Too bad everyone is turning into a suspect, including Nicole herself.

Award-winning author Paul Griffin has written a high-stakes, soulful mystery about the meaning--and dangers--of love and beauty.

Excuse me for the next couple weeks...I'll be locked in my room READING!!

Flesh and Bone by Jonathan Maberry

Published: September 11th, 2012

Publisher: Simon and Schuster books for Young Readers

Pages: 469

Copy: Purchased

Summary: Goodreads

Reeling from the tragic events of Dust & Decay, Benny Imura and his friends plunge deep into the zombie-infested wastelands of the great Rot & Ruin. Benny, Nix, Lilah and Chong journey through a fierce wilderness that was once America, searching for the jet they saw in the skies months ago. If that jet exists then humanity itself must have survived…somewhere. Finding it is their best hope for having a future and a life worth living.

But the Ruin is far more dangerous than any of them can imagine. They are hunted by fierce animals escaped from zoos and circuses. They must raid zombie-infested towns for food and medical supplies. They discover the very real truth in the old saying: In the Rot & Ruin…everything wants to kill you.

And what is happening to the zombies? Swarms of them are coming from the east, devouring everything in their paths. These zoms are different. Faster, smarter, infinitely more dangerous. Has the zombie plague mutated, or is there something far more sinister behind this new invasion of the living dead?

In Flesh & Bone, Benny Imura, Nix Riley, Lou Chong and Lilah the Lost Girl are pitted against dangers greater than anything they've ever faced. To survive, each of them must rise to become the warriors Tom trained them to be.

Regular visitors to The Paperback Princesses will know that Jonathan Maberry's Rot and Ruin series is one of my absolute favourites.  Flesh and Bone did not disappoint me at all.  It was so wonderful to meet the characters again, although their lives have not become any easier. 

Flesh and Bone is a book about death and how different individuals cope afterwards with their grief.  It is also a book about dying - in many nasty horrible ways.  It surprises me that Maberry continues to introduce such horrible and depraved characters.  Yet for all the depravity, he manages to get inside their heads and allows the reader to see why they think they are doing the right thing.  Saint John - the major bad guy for this volume - is one of the most disturbing characters I've read about in a while, mostly because he believes, really believes, that he is doing the right thing.

Benny, Nix, Chong and Lilah are all coping in their own ways with the tragedies that have befallen them, and are struggling to keep things together.  An awful lot happens to them in a very short space of time and it's hard to watch them cope and pull things together.  Maberry's character development is superb.  The characters start to feel real to me and I hurt for them.  Yes this is a book about flesh eating zombies, but as I have said before, it is so much more than the sum of its parts. It is about growing as a person, overcoming adversity and strength of character.  About not giving in and fighting for a better life.  

      ".... Perfect doesn't exist.  Not like she (Nix) thinks.  There's a lot of hurt out here.  A lot of pain, and a lot of people doing bad things."
     "Is that all there is? Hard times and bad people?"
     Tom smiled. "I didn't say that everyone was bad.  I said that there are people doing bad things.  Some of them, but not all of them.  You met some good ones too.  You know that right?"
     "I know."
     "This is the world, Benny.  It's seldom what we expect it to be." He took his hand away.  "But here's the secret, here's the thing I wanted to say."
     "What?"
     Tom smiled.  "You can fix the world.  You, Nix ... your generation.  You can fix the world and make it right."
     "You mean put it back the way it was?"
     "Was it right the way it was?"
     "No."
     "Then there's you answer." ...... (p451/2)

 Flesh and Bone does not end on a cliffhanger, thank goodness, but it does end on a very sad note for one of the characters, no spoilers though.  I love this series and I was both disappointed and delighted to find out that there is to be a fourth volume. I wanted everything to wrap up with this one, but I'm happy I now have more to look forward to.  I have just discovered that there is an ebook called Dead and Gone, available exclusively for ereaders - I have to get that one -  but I couldn't find anything with a title for the fouth book.  So starts the long wait.

Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves allows us to share the books we have added to our collections - physical, virtual, borrowed, bought or received. 

This week I bought

And I borrowed 

I watched the movie and I'm really hoping the novel is better than the big screen version.

Crossed by Ally Condie

Published: November 2011

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile

Pages: 367

Copy Provided by: Library

Summary: by Goodreads

Summary:

In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky — taken by the Society to his certain death — only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake. 

Cassia’s quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander — who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia’s heart — change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.

Review:

Crossed is book #2 of the Matched trilogy.  The problem with the second book in a series,any series,  is that it is often hard to meet the high expectations set by book #1.  Unfortunately, Crossed let me down.  I just could not get into this book.  After about 80 pages of wondering (what was I reading again?), I tossed in the towel.  This story just didn't seem to hold the same kind of interest for me as book #1.  The characters were not memorable and I felt like the storyline dragged on and on.  If you are a huge fan of dystopia, you will probably enjoy this.  If you spread yourself between different genres, you may find yourself feeling the same way I do.  Sorry, Crossed.  I'm just not into you.  Time to re-visit my bookshelf....NEXT!!

Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake: Interview and Review

Published: August 2012

Publisher: Tor Teen

Pages: 332

Copy Provided by: Library

Summary: Goodreads

Summary:

It's been months since the ghost of Anna Korlov opened a door to Hell in her basement and disappeared into it, but ghost-hunter Cas Lowood can't move on. 

His friends remind him that Anna sacrificed herself so that Cas could live—not walk around half dead. He knows they're right, but in Cas's eyes, no living girl he meets can compare to the dead girl he fell in love with.

Now he's seeing Anna everywhere: sometimes when he's asleep and sometimes in waking nightmares. But something is very wrong...these aren't just daydreams. Anna seems tortured, torn apart in new and ever more gruesome ways every time she appears.

Cas doesn't know what happened to Anna when she disappeared into Hell, but he knows she doesn't deserve whatever is happening to her now. Anna saved Cas more than once, and it's time for him to return the favor.

Interview:
So I gotta be perfectly honest with you and let you know now that after reading Girl of Nightmares, I had SO many unanswered questions and I just felt obsessive about this title.  So what did I do?  Oh, well I stalked the author of course and bullied her into doing an interview.  Kidding.  She volunteered...what a nice gal eh?

What inspired you to come up with the plot for the Anna series? 

I wanted to play Silent Hill, and no one would play with me. I missed blood and guts and ominous darkness. And then Anna Dressed in Blood popped into my head and I thought, "who, what what, now?"

 

As a Canadian, I noticed many references to Canada throughout your two books. Are you originally from Canada? Why Thunder Bay? 

Oh excellent! I'm glad you noticed. Canadian readers have been so incredible. One was even pleased that I noticed your paleness. I'm not originally from Canada, but when I wrote Anna I lived in Minnesota, which was near enough to Thunder Bay for me to do location research hands on. So I went there and felt out the town. I knew immediately it was the right place. It was where Anna lived. And died. Awesome to hear!  I really hope you went during the summer because the weather can be brutal during the winter!

 

I loved these two books. The way book#2 ended made me wonder if you would continue with the series or if it was just going to end. Will there be a book #3? 

I don't think so. Cas isn't talking right now. Though sometimes I wonder, so you never know. I'm really really  really crossing my fingers for Cas to say something....anything...

 

If your series were to be a movie, who would you cast as Cas, Anna, Thomas and Carmel? 

Hm. I have no idea. Cas looks like a younger Kevin Zegers in my head. Anna...is harder. She's so many different things. Guileless. Brutal. Practical. And of course, dead. It's a lot to get into a face. That would be an interesting piece of casting, but I have no idea. Thomas could be Logan Lerman with glasses. Carmel...any golden blond beauty with a glint of clever mischief in her eye.

 

Do you have other books in the works now?

Yes. Am working on Book 2 in the ANTIGODDESS trilogy. ANTIGODDESS comes out next September. It's about dying Greek gods and the teens who love them :)  Added to my Goodreads list!

 

What are you reading now? 

Right now I'm reading BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA by April Genevieve Tucholke. Also BAG OF BONES by Stephen King, and CONFESSIONS OF A FIVE-CHAMBERED HEART by Caitlin R Kiernan.

 

Do you have a favourite series? 

I'm going to say series is more than a trilogy, to help narrow it down. And in that case, it's The Vampire Chronicles and Harry Potter.

 

Will you be going on tour? Do you do book signings? 

I just wrapped up a tour last month. I love traveling to festivals and doing book signings and talking to people. I'm keeping pretty quiet until about February, and then I might find myself back on the road a bit.

Canada.  Canada's a good place to stop...like say Alberta.... 

Thanks for having me by The Paperback Princesses!!

Thank you SO MUCH for taking the time to answer my questions and stopping by our blog.  To those of you interested in a signed bookmark by Kendare, please leave a comment with your email address so we can contact you!  We will draw randomly from all comments received.  If you don't feel comfortable leaving your email address, you can email me directly using the link above at the top left hand corner of our blog. And now for my review....

Let me just say that I think I've been on a thematic reading roll lately.  Last month I was all about Steampunk.  This month is horror/fantasy/the supernatural dead.  Must be October Halloween.  

I was waiting for this title.  Ever since I read the first Anna book, I could not wait for the second.  But I did...I waited...because my TBR list is so freaking long that I've resorted to using the library like my own personal bookstore.  I put holds on the newest titles and then wait patiently for them to arrive, biding my time with other books from my TBR list...and so the circle continues.

It took me 4 days to read this.  Four days is quick when you have a family and two jobs. But it was good.  Good, exciting and a quick read.  So what do you do when your dead ghostly murdering girlfriend saves your butt by pulling an equally powerful murdering entity down to hell?  Organize an insane rescue party of course!  Welcome to the world of Theseus Cassio Lowood, ghost hunter extraordinaire.  Once you get to know him, you'd wish you had a guy with this level of crazy mooning after you too! 

The characters in the Anna series are fabulous.  Somehow the head cheerleader, class nerd and outside loner become close buds secretly fighting the resident boogeymen around town.  Each bring their own spunk to the mesh and somehow it all works well together.  They all have such differing personalities yet bring out the best in one another.  

Like most 2nd books, I was a bit worried how the title would read.  Would it stand up to the greatness of book #1?  Well, it did.  Ms. Blake didn't sugar-coat it either.  The ending was exactly as it should have been.  Well done Kendare!  So the next time you are looking for an oddly creeptastic romance, pick up the Anna series (Anna Dressed in Blood and Girl of Nightmares).  BTW, this would be a great series to get you in the mood for Halloween.

Follow Friday

Friday Follow is a blog hop that was started by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read.  Each week a different question is posted by our hosts and we wil answer!  This is a great opportunity for bloggers to network and interact. 

This week’s question – 

What writing device or trick most irritates you when reading a book? For example, if an author employs an omnipotent narrator that is sometimes considered bad form

OK, there are a few things that irritate me when reading a book.  I am not a writer (obviously) so I'm not sure if there are device terms for what I'm about to mention.

First of all, I do not like pop references that can date a book.  For instance, it is 2012 and the author makes reference to Prince Harry's semi-naked pictures from Vegas OR there are constantly quotes from a current popular song.  I think it is best for an author to keep a storyline fresh and create a timeline with their own events.

Something else that irritates me when reading a book are names that character names which are too similar or hard to remember.  Theoden of Thalen thought Princess Thola...blah blah blah blah.  That is a sure way to get me to stop reading after the first 10 pages. 

Sometimes I find it difficult to follow books where the plot flips back and forth between two timelines.  It has to be an incredibly entertaining read to keep me going when I'm reading about the past and then the present and then the future all within a few hundred pages.

Lastly, point of view.  If an author has two points of view in the same book and the narrator changes each chapter, I can handle that.  Once there are more than 3 narrators, this drives me a little batty.  Sure, you can change the font for each chapter but for some readers, it's just plain cruel.  Case in point - The Rise of Nine by Pitticus Lore.  I enjoyed it but it drove me crazy.  Enjoy your weekend and read lots my bookie friends!

- Christinabean

Just to add my 2 cents worth here, none of the above really bother me, but I absolutely hate it when a chapter is only a couple of pages long.  A lot of white space on page after page is enough to make me close a book fairly quickly.  I know it is supposed to indicate things happening at a rapid pace, but it just breaks up the narrative for me and I can't stand it. Have a great weekend all.

Curlypow

Welcome to the Paperback Princesses! Make yourself at home, take a look around our blog and let us know what you think in the comments section. We would love to hear what you have to say about our posts. We often try to comment on your comments as well so feel free to start a conversation! Since there are two of us running the show, we always have a variety of titles and event postings. Be sure to check out our own personal meme page. Check out Fantastic Fairytales, Let's Hear it for the Boys, In Case you Missed it and a few others. We try to not only focus on new YA books but also great titles from the past.

We have a winner

We have a winner from our Tilt giveaway

 

Leanne from Leannessf

 

I've sent you an email, so the sooner you get back to me, the sooner you'll get your copy of  Tilt

Ten by Gretchen McNeil

Published: September 2012

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Pages: 294

Copy Provided by: Library

Summary: Goodreads

Summary:

And their doom comes swiftly.

It was supposed to be the weekend of their lives—an exclusive house party on Henry Island. Best friends Meg and Minnie each have their reasons for being there (which involve T.J., the school’s most eligible bachelor) and look forward to three glorious days of boys, booze and fun-filled luxury.

But what they expect is definitely not what they get, and what starts out as fun turns dark and twisted after the discovery of a DVD with a sinister message: Vengeance is mine.

Suddenly people are dying, and with a storm raging, the teens are cut off from the outside world. No electricity, no phones, no internet, and a ferry that isn’t scheduled to return for two days. As the deaths become more violent and the teens turn on each other, can Meg find the killer before more people die? Or is the killer closer to her than she could ever imagine?

Review:

Agggghhhhh!!!!  So many scary books in one month!  I have to tell you, I LOVE scary books.  I was the kid who started reading Stephen King and John Saul in Jr High.  I'd be reading at my locker early in the morning and the bell would ring and scare the Bleep out of me (thanks Kiersten White for adding to my vocabulary).

Well, it seems old habits die hard as I have been on a horror/murder/fiction revival.  I recently discovered Gretchen McNeil and loved her first book - Possess.  You can read my review through the link.  I wasn't sure what to expect from Ten.  One of the things I love about both of these titles is that they seem to be stand-alone books.  I have so many series on the go right now, it is difficult to keep them all in check.  

When you first start reading Ten, you may find yourself having flashbacks to certain scenes from horror classics such as Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer and even Final Destination.  McNeil pulls out all of the punches for a well played mystery of consecutive killings and I have to admit, on more than one occasion she had me double-guessing who the killer was.  There were a few holes in the storyline and at the end it was a tad over the top for me but overall I was thoroughly entertained and it was a fun, thrilling read.

So if you are looking to freak yourself out and get into the Halloween mood, you need to check out Ten by Gretchen McNeil.  It's even better and scarier than a horror movie...because it's all in your imagination...

Conjure by Lea Nolan

Published: October 16th, 2012

Publisher: Entangled Publishing, LLC

Pages: 314

Copy: Received for review

Summary: Goodreads

Emma Guthrie expects this summer to be like any other in the South Carolina Lowcountry--hot and steamy with plenty of beach time alongside her best friend and secret crush, Cooper Beaumont, and Emma’s ever-present twin brother, Jack. But then a mysterious eighteenth-century message in a bottle surfaces, revealing a hidden pirate bounty. Lured by the adventure, the trio discovers the treasure and unwittingly unleashes an ancient Gullah curse that attacks Jack with the wicked flesh-eating Creep and promises to steal Cooper’s soul on his approaching sixteenth birthday.

When a strange girl appears, bent on revenge; demon dogs become a threat; and Jack turns into a walking skeleton; Emma has no choice but to learn hoodoo magic to undo the hex, all before summer—and her friends--are lost forever.

Conjure was an interesting and enjoyable read for me.  The story hinges around the finding of a pirate treasure and the breaking of a 300 year old curse.  When goaded by Maggie, a new girl on the island,  Jack opens the treasure and sets off the curse. Basically he starts to disintegrate slowly, so that his bones are showing, starting with his hand.  Pretty gruesome actually.  It is up to his twin sister Emma and friend Cooper to try and break the curse.  It was interesting to see how Jack's character changed whilst under the influence of the curse, although you can't really blame him. 

As the full ramifications of the curse come to light the action heats up and Jack, Emma and Cooper have to engage in some highjinx to try and sort things out.  Of course nothing is straight forward and with the arrival of plateyes, or hell hounds, things really start to get interesting.  Also the added discovery of a 2nd curse that affects Cooper's family adds to the tension.  One of the things I loved were the flashbacks using hoodoo.  Whenever the pirate, Bloody Bill, came into the picture I had images of the Pirates of the Caribbean movie. Captain Barbosa in particular and the scene where one of the pirates thrusts a hand through bars and it shows as a skeleton when the moon hits it. 

It's obvious that Ms Nolan has done a lot of research into Hoodoo and I found it fascinating the way the herbs are used.  The idea that there has to be balance in the world is not new and Emma's struggle to learn what she needs from Miss Delia while keeping the balance was well done.  There is also a very sweet romance brewing between Cooper and Emma that made me smile.

Conjure is very suitable for younger teens looking for something a little different in an adventure story, and by the end, it becomes obvious that there are going to be at least one more book to follow.  I look forward to reading it.

Waiting on Wednesday - Mega Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine,  that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating or books that are in our TBR pile.  This week’s “can’t-wait-to-read” selection is

Summary (by Goodreads)

Is death the end . . . or only the beginning?

Ethan Wate has spent most of his life longing to escape the stiflingly small Southern town of Gatlin. He never thought he would meet the girl of his dreams, Lena Duchannes, who unveiled a secretive, powerful, and cursed side of Gatlin, hidden in plain sight. And he never could have expected that he would be forced to leave behind everyone and everything he cares about. So when Ethan awakes after the chilling events of the Eighteenth Moon, he has only one goal: to find a way to return to Lena and the ones he loves.

Back in Gatlin, Lena is making her own bargains for Ethan's return, vowing to do whatever it takes -- even if that means trusting old enemies or risking the lives of the family and friends Ethan left to protect.

Worlds apart, Ethan and Lena must once again work together to rewrite their fate, in this stunning finale to the Beautiful Creatures series.

 

I'm still a book behind in this series.  Curlypow on the other hand will have probably already pre-ordered this one.  Don't forget!  They are casting for a Beautiful Creatures movie right now!

 

 

Summary (by Goodreads)

 

Don't look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.That is Ethan Chase's unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he'd dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister's world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myth and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.

 

I haven't gotten into The Iron Fey series yet but it is on my TBR list.  So what's the difference between a Fairy and a Faery anyway?

 

 

Summary (by Goodreads)

 

Mara Dyer once believed she could run from her past.

She can’t.

She used to think her problems were all in her head.

They aren’t.

She couldn’t imagine that after everything she’s been through, the boy she loves would still be keeping secrets.

She’s wrong.

In this gripping sequel to The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, the truth evolves and choices prove deadly. What will become of Mara Dyer next?

 

To be honest, the story has slipped my memory BUT I have been seeing great reviews for book #2 so it might be worth the re-read again....

 

Musings by Knitwits - Sock Yarn One Skein Wonders, edited by Judith Durant

 

Published: November 2010

Publisher: Storey Publishing

Pages: 287

Copy: Purchased

Summary: Goodreads

Sock yarn can be used for much more than socks "Sock Yarn One-Skein Wonders "is an irresistible compilation of 101 original patterns for baby clothes, mittens, scarves, hats, jewelry, cozies, bags--even a dog sweater and a lamp shade--that all use just a single skein of sock yarn. Contributed by yarn shops and designers throughout North America, the patterns are as fetching as they are fun to knit. Knitters of every skill level will find the perfect project: some knit up in fewer than three hours, others make creative use of sock yarn leftovers, and several make heirloom-worthy gifts. With this book in your knitting bag, your stash of sock yarn will be gone in no time.

There are so many wonderful things to knit in this book that you will be completely spoiled for choice.  There are hats, scarves, socks, shawls, baby sweaters, doll clothes, xmas ornaments, purses, and so much more.  The absolute wonder is that each project uses no more than one skein of sock yarn.  If you're like me, you already have several different choices of sock yarn in your possession.

Sock yarn these days is so colourful and wonderful to work with and so difficult to walk away from in the store.  With this book you will be able to use up all those balls of yarn you've tried to justify purchasing and you'll help elimate your xmas list at the same time. How about a shawl for your favourite aunt, or a pair of socks for your grandfather, or a lovely sweater for the new baby in the family? 

If you get the chance, add this great title to your knitting library.  You won't be disappointed.

Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves allows us to share the books we have added to our collections - physical, virtual, borrowed, bought or received. 

 

What a great haul this week.  I've already finished who i kissed and Flesh and Bone, so keep your eyes open for the reviews, coming soon.

 

Shout Out to Indies

 

We here at The Paperback Princesses often receive emails from Indie authors requesting reviews and are blessed with free book copies. Often we are unable to get to so many titles before our mass market published books take over our TBR shelves. That doesn't mean there aren't plenty of great reads though! We want to give back to those Indie authors and are declaring EVERY SECOND SUNDAY our SHOUT OUT TO INDIES MEME. For those of fellow bloggers, please feel free to add our meme to your regular schedule. We only ask that you quote and link back to us as a courtesy. For all of you Indie authors, we invite you to contact us at the contact link to your top left. We will select 1 - 3 titles (each time we post) that sound interesting. Lastly, for you readers, this is a bit of a test so please do comment and let us know what you think. We will also be offering up giveaway copies whenever we can! So without further ado, here is this week's pick -

 

 

 

Published: July 2012

Available on Amazon:

 

"We Are Savages" is the story of 12-year-old Tris and what she finds when she runs from the responsibility of her household and descends through a rain grate into the child run world of Nowhere. "You go to bed angry or sad enough you can wake up just about anywhere," the Savages tell her. Nowhere is a brick utopia hidden in the sewers; madeup of sweets, sports, hammocks, and fireflies. But even this haven, free of parents and protocol, is not everything it seems. Haunted by dark specters known only as Phocydes, feared for their reputation of consuming children whole, Tris works both to hunt and to hide from these hooded shadows. But something about them is familiar; something about them fires her curiosity more than her fear. And Tris slowly begins to realize that, no matter where you go, fear and responsibility are not things you can escape. The only thing to do is face them.

Sounds interesting, don't you think?

 

Partials by Dan Wells

Published: February 2012

Publisher: Balzer and Bray

Pages: 468

Copy: Library

Summary: Goodreads

The human race is all but extinct after a war with Partials--engineered organic beings identical to humans--has decimated the population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by RM, a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island while the Partials have mysteriously retreated. The threat of the Partials is still imminent, but, worse, no baby has been born immune to RM in more than a decade. Our time is running out.

Kira, a sixteen-year-old medic-in-training, is on the front lines of this battle, seeing RM ravage the community while mandatory pregnancy laws have pushed what's left of humanity to the brink of civil war, and she's not content to stand by and watch. But as she makes a desperate decision to save the last of her race, she will find that the survival of humans and Partials alike rests in her attempts to uncover the connections between them--connections that humanity has forgotten, or perhaps never even knew were there.

Dan Wells, acclaimed author of "I Am Not a Serial Killer," takes readers on a pulsepounding journey into a world where the very concept of what it means to be human is in question--one where our humanity is both our greatest liability and our only hope for survival.

I've been keeping my eye out for this one since it came out, hoping that my own library would buy it, but no luck.  So I was really happy when I discovered it last week at another library system.  After all the work getting hold of a copy, I'm delighted to say it was well worth the effort.  Mr Wells has taken the popular apocalyptic/dystopian themes and has melded them nicely into this great book. 

The apocalypse - in this case caused by a savage plague released by biosynthetic Partials - has completely decimated the world's population.  The last 40,000 or so humans have holed up on Long Island and are trying to survive . The event has only happened 11 years previously, so is still fresh in most minds.  This now dystopian society is insisting that all women over the age of 16 MUST get pregnant.  Er, no thank you!  Kira and her friends are setting off to try and find a cure for the plague that is still killing new-borns.  I rather liked Kira's passion.  She was strong willed and able to overcome her fears for the greater good.  Her boyfriend Marcus gets a bit of the run-around, but there are viable reasons and I was ok with Kira's decisions.    The Partials have been quiet for some time, so there is an air of mystery about them, which was rather interesting.  Of course, there is a surprise that turns up while Kira is off trying to find the cure and this very nicely sets things up for book #2.  I'm really looking forward do finding out more about the non-human Partials  and Samm's part in the story. Samm is a Partial who is rescued by Kira and then complications ensue - sorry, don't want to give spoilers.  Lots of secondary characters help to pull the story along and everything wraps up to a very satisfying, if convenient conclusion.

 Have you ever found yourself wondering what you would do if you were to end up in a situation like this? It's interesting sometimes to think about what our own reactions would be.  Would you go out at 16 and get pregnant over and over again, with all your children dying after just 3 days?  I don't think I could do it.  But then again would I be strong enough to try and change the status quo.  Interesting to ponder on, but I hope I never have to find out.

Partials is a great addition to the genre and should please dystopian fans.  It looks like the next book in the series is called Fragments due in February 2013 and there also appears to be a 'Lost Tale' called Isolations which is labelled as 0.5.  I'm going to have to try and find it.



I found this video on Goodreads which explains a little more about the Partials.

Follow Friday

Friday Follow is a blog hop that was started by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read.  Each week a different question is posted by our hosts and we will answer!  This is a great opportunity for bloggers to network and interact. 
 

This week’s question – Q: When you step out of your USUAL genre what do you like to read? Best books in that genre?
 
My go-to genre would be fantasy.  I've been reading fantasy and fairytales since I was kneehigh to a grasshopper.  I often read out of my usual though, but when I do, it could be anything. Best books I've read recently out of my usual genre - that would be  Pushing the Limits (contemp); Texas Gothic (ghost story); Revolution (historical); Rot and Ruin (zombie) - I'm sure there are others, but the only ones I can think of are fantasy.

Welcome to the Paperback Princesses! Make yourself at home, take a look around our blog and let us know what you think in the comments section. We would love to hear what you have to say about our posts. We often try to comment on your comments as well so feel free to start a conversation! Since there are two of us running the show, we always have a variety of titles and event postings. Be sure to check out our own personal meme page. Check out Fantastic Fairytales, Let's Hear it for the Boys, In Case you Missed it and a few others. We try to not only focus on new YA books but also great titles from the past.

Dont forget to check out our giveaway for Tilt by Ellen Hopkins  You still have a couple of days to get lucky.

Endlessly by Kiersten White

Published: July 2012

Publisher: HarperTeen

Pages: 385

Copy Provided by: Library

Summary: Goodreads

Summary:

Evie's paranormal past keeps coming back to haunt her. A new director at the International Paranormal Containment Agency wants to drag her back to headquarters. The Dark Faerie Queen is torturing humans in her poisonous realm. And supernatural creatures keep insisting that Evie is the only one who can save them from a mysterious, perilous fate.

The clock is ticking on the entire paranormal world. And its fate rests solely in Evie's hands.

So much for normal.

Review:

How do you do it?  How do you say goodbye to one of your favorite characters when a series ends?  Evie is quirky, gorgeous, sometimes terminally blonde, has a wicked sense of humor and can be oh so sensitive.  I am sorry to see her fade with book #3.  Strangely, I was satisfied with the ending though.  

To be perfectly honest, it wasn't the plotline that kept me going with this series.  The characters kept me hooked -  Lend, Reth and of course, Evie.  Who wouldn't want to follow a guy who is transparent like water and can glamour himself into anyone else, a fairie who is stunningly beautiful but void of any real emotions or morals, and a girl who isn't really a girl at all but an innocent who can suck the soul out of anyone who crosses her? What a love triangle that is, eh?

Endlessly was the perfect ending to a perfectly odd storyline.  Kiersten White effortlessly whips out her sarcastic wit and lends (no pun intended) Evie a voice which makes you feel like you're listening to your best friend.  Or maybe those are just my best friends and the kind of ridiculous banter we carry on. Regardless, the entire Paranormalcy trilogy is such a fun ride that its on my shelves as a series to purchase and re-read or lend (another no pun intended comment) to a friend.  I would highly recommend it to that inbe"tween" age where the reader is younger but looking to move out of the junior reading section and into YA.  Instead of swearing, Ms. White has graciously exploited the word "bleep". (I'd love to see the word count of this in her series).  Let me demonstrate - Oh bleep!@!  Is the series done already??  I can't wait to get my hands on Kiersten's  next series, Mind Games in Februrary.  I'm sure its bleeping fantastic!!!

Waiting on Wednesday - Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine,  that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating or books that are in our TBR pile.  This week’s “can’t-wait-to-read” selection is

Summary (by Goodreads)

Fates unfurl in the gripping conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Hush, Hush saga.Nora is more certain than ever that she is in love with Patch. Fallen angel or no, he is the one for her. Her heritage and destiny may mean they are fated to be enemies, but there is no turning her back on him. Now Nora and Patch must gather their strength to face one last, perilous trial. Old enemies return, new enemies are made, and a friend's ultimate betrayal threatens the peace Patch and Nora so desperately want. The battle lines are drawn—but which sides are they on? And in the end, are there some obstacles even love can't conquer?

Ahhhh!!! The conclusion to the Hush Hush series!  Must it end??

Fantastic Fairytales - Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

 

Published: June 2007

Publisher: Harper Teen

Audio produced by: Harper Audio

Length: 10 hours 11 minutes

Summary: Overdrive

 

 

Rule #3: Don't stare at invisible faeries. Aislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in mortal world. Aislinn fears their cruelty—especially if they learn of her Sight—and wishes she were as blind to their presence as other teens.
Rule #2: Don't speak to invisible faeries. Now faeries are stalking her. One of them, Keenan, who is equal parts terrifying and alluring, is trying to talk to her, asking questions Aislinn is afraid to answer.
Rule #1: Don't ever attract their attention. But it's too late. Keenan is the Summer King who has sought his queen for nine centuries. Without her, summer itself will perish. He is determined that Aislinn will become the Summer Queen at any cost—regardless of her plans or desires.
Suddenly none of the rules that have kept Aislinn safe are working anymore, and everything is on the line: her freedom; her best friend, Seth; her life; everything.
Faerie intrigue, mortal love, and the clash of ancient rules and modern expectations swirl together in Melissa Marr's stunning 21st century faery tale.

 

Wicked Lovely was first published  back in 2007, so I figured it might actually be an unknown title for some of you.

After I had finished Wicked Lovely and had my review planned out, I realised that Christinabean had already reviewed this book way  back in October 2010.  Anyway, I thought it was worth mentioning again in our Fantastic Fairytales meme, because it really is fantastic.

It is a very dark fairy story, where the fae are mischievious and downright nasty.  As Christinabean said in her review, if you're expecting sweet and sparkly, you won't find it in this book.   Ever heard the tale that  if you eat or drink anything in Faerie then you cannot leave - well that kept running through my mind while reading this book.  I was mentally willing the characters to remember it. 

The story is enthralling and the characters believable, and there is a wonderful message running through the story that things/people are not always what they seem.  It gave me shivers in some places.  Now I'm off to get Ink Exchange, closely followed  by Fragile Eternity, Radiant Shadows and Darkest Mercy.  They are all sitting on my shelf, so I've no excuse not to read them.  I can't wait to see what happens to Aislinn and Seth.  A definite must read for fairy tale fans.

Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves allows us to share the books we have added to our collections - physical, virtual, borrowed, bought or received. 

I'm so psyched about this week's Stacking the Shelves!  Hidden is book #3 in the Firelight series and I just recently discovered Gretchen McNeil titles.  I'm excited to read Carnival of Souls by Melissa Marr and of course I've heard so much about Enclave that I just had to check it out!